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WARNING: The article contains spoilers from Season 2 Part 2 & Shuumatsu no Walküre MangaWith the release ofRecord Of RagnarokSeason 2 Part 2, fans are already pumped to watch the next intense battle between gods and humanity. The last fight saw Jack the Ripper take on Heracles, with Humanity scoring a win for the 5th bout. With this victory under the belt, there’s optimism that round 6 could also go to team humanity.
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However, it’s important not to get too carried away, as the anime is notorious for turning the tables at the last minute (recallAdam’s fight, for instance). Yet, there is indeed something surprising about the 6th round: it’s a God vs. God match. This time, Buddha is siding with humanity, but what could be the reason? This piece will explore his motives.
The Person Who Influenced Buddha
Buddha’s choice was confusing to many of the deities. However, to understand him, one must delve into his origins in Record Of Ragnarok. Despite being a god now, Buddha began his journey as Gautama Siddhartha. Centuries ago in Nepal, he lived a life of luxury as a prince, with access to everything money could buy and pleasures the heart desires. Rare delicacies overflowed at his table as musicians and dancers performed for his entertainment. Yet amid the endless revelry, Siddhartha felt unfulfilled.
A sage then prophesied that the prince would become the enlightened one, destined to guide all of humanity. During his teenage years, Prince Siddhartha took a trip to visit his relative, King Jataka, who had been struck with a disease that kept him confined to his bed. Yet, his citizens weren’t affected. Siddhartha was impressed by how happiness could exist even without the ruler’s direct involvement. He then praised him for his role in making their lives better. However, Jataka insisted that it wasn’t his choice as he was given this responsibility even before birth.
Jataka admitted he had barely left the palace walls, so focused was he on royal duties.Jataka’s candid self-assessment gave Siddhartha pause for thought. It led him to reconsider whether he truly deserved the lavish existence he led. Siddhartha began to doubt if this gilded life, imprisoned by palace walls, was the path he truly wanted for himself. After this, Jakarta had already succumbed to his illness.At his funeral, Siddhartha renounced his royal ties, vowing to live as he wished. Now, Siddhartha’s fate would bend to his own will, not the circumstances of his birth.
Buddha Becomes Enlightened
Determined to forge his own path, Siddhartha met diverse people. He questioned faiths with rigid dogmas and opposed rituals that caused harm to nature. Believing no benevolent higher power would want to suffer, Siddhartha developed his own spiritual philosophy that emphasized wisdom, compassion, and inner peace.
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This philosophy later came to be known as Buddhism, andSiddhartha came to be called the Buddha or Enlightened One. Along the endless road, he also crossed ways with Zerofoku, the Shinto deity who, at this point, didn’t split into the Seven Lucky Gods. Zerofoku became jealous seeing the genuine joy of Buddha’s followers and asked for his secret.Buddha explained happiness cannot be granted, only self-discovered. He further told him to love himself in episode 3, Part 2 of Season 2.
Buddha Doesn’t Like Taking Orders
Though later deified, Buddha never saw himself as a god but as a human guiding other humans to fulfill their potential. Therefore, out of compassion, not divinity, he fought for humanity over the gods. Further, Zeus telling him he had to join the sixth round of Ragnarok really bugged him. The gods acted like they could order him around, and he’d do what they said, but he was tired of being bossed up by them.
This explains why Buddha remained detached from the other gods despite his enlightened state. He doesn’t believe in divine hierarchies. His phrase, “Throughout heaven and earth, I am alone the honored one,” is a direct reference to a verse from the Buddhist scriptures, specifically the Lotus Sutra. In the context of the Record of Ragnarok, Buddha’s declaration is a reflection of his confidence, self-awareness, and conviction in his own abilities.
By saying this, he expresses his belief in his unique position as a former human who achieved enlightenment and became a revered figure in both the human and divine realms.Buddha wanted to challenge the gods' arrogance and prove that even a human or a former human like himself could defeat them. His decision to join humanity’s side was a direct affront to the gods' authority and their belief in their own superiority. Though, only time will tell if Buddha will be able to save humanity and prove his point.
NEXT:Record Of Ragnarok Season 2 Part 2 Release Date, Time, And Where To Watch
